With COVID-19 patients pushing hospitals closer to exceeding capacity and front line personnel running short on masks, seamstresses and hobbyists are volunteering their talents toward filling those voids in a campaign called the 100 million mask challenge. Philomena Martrain grew up in Baton Rouge and was visiting her parents when the stay at home order came down.
“Got material and stuff and I’m sitting at the sewing machine at night and making masks but I’m working from home as well. I’m having to make due with the things I have,” said Martrain.
Martrain picked up sewing masks techniques from YouTube tutorials and has scrounged together the materials for production, including elastic headbands from a dollar store.
“I think I bought twelve-packs of those. I think six or seven came for a dollar. I came home and cut them in half and use it as the piece of elastic I put on the mask when I sew it,” said Martrain.
Martrain now lives in the Florida Panhandle and helped with the recovery of Hurricane Michael and had previously come back to her native Baton Rouge to assist following the 2016 floods. Martrain says the calling to help one of the hardest-hit areas just comes naturally.
“It’s something that always makes your heart happy. You’re always supposed to help out anyone that is in need. That’s how I was raised,” said Martrain.
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